They could all be found in Chamonix this past April! Since 2011, Salon has been something I have wanted to be a part of and for one reason or another I wasn’t able to participate. The stars came into alignment and I was able to travel to Chamonx which is located in the French Alps, at the base of Mont Blanc which the tallest peak in the Alps, and in Europe.
UPDATE: My piece "Wood and Lace" received "Honorable Mention!"
I'm so excited!! I was accepted into my first juried art show, "Art Howard County 2017" juried by Thomas Engleman, Gallery Director and Professor of Visual Arts, Howard Community College. All three of my submissions were accepted and are for sale. Contact me for more information: dee@lenehanstudios.com or 410-707-9246
The show takes place at the Howard County Center for the Arts and is put on by the Howard County Arts Council. The show runs from November 3-December 15th, 2017. The reception (which I will sadly miss) is November 10th, 6-8pm. (8510 High Ridge Rd, Ellicott City, MD 21043, 410-313-ARTS)
Be sure to take some time and check out the incredible works on display and support your local art scene!
This past winter I decided to take myself on a trip to New Mexico, a place I had never stepped foot. I was searching for a workshop of sorts and stumbled across a Georgia O'Keeffe retreat hosted by the Ghost Ranch. I decided to sign up and spend the week and a half following the retreat driving across the state.
The workshop was hosted at Casa Del Sol in a restricted part of the ranch. O'Keeffe's iconic ranch house is located along the drive. We took day trips to painting locations, walking where she walked to see what she was inspired by. An assistant by the name of Margaret Wood came to talk with us one evening about what it was like to work for Mrs. O'Keeffe. She wrote a cook book which includes many of her recipes. Before this trip I appreciated O'Keeffe as an artist but now I really admire her spirit of independence and grit especially in an era that most women were constrained to traditional female roles. Most of the days it snowed but there were occasional breaks in the weather where we could see Padernal across the valley. We used the time to sketch and paint whatever inspired us.
I then traveled south to Santa Fe where I had an appointment at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum to see her personal notes, color chips, and sketches. No photos were allowed. Seeing these artifacts really created a sense of intimacy. I really enjoyed seeing how she worked. After, I wandered around the city exploring and met some great artists. Took a couple day trips, one to Madrid to visit Harvey Shugarman's chocolate shop, and another to Taos.
Then I was off to Silver City to explore the Gila National Forest, visit artist studios, and meet more amazing people. I fell in love with New Mexico and hope to return again soon.
So lots of good things have been happening in my little world in the past few months and I wanted to tell you about some of it... First of all, THANK YOU to all of the folks who came to my show "Still Standing" hosted by Pure Wine Cafe and presented by HorseSpirit Arts Gallery in Ellicott City. What a thrill it was to be able to share with you my work and see all of my pieces hung together in one space. If you followed me in the process of creating my solo show, "Still Standing," you know how the last two years have been for me and the struggles I have overcome to make this happen.
This show, for me, was really a dream come true. Looking back at the work created, the opening reception, the love I received, I am overflowing with joy. I am grateful to have so many people in my life that love me and support my work. I never really considered myself a "fine artist," and never thought I would have the need for true self expression. I now have a desire to continue down this path and see what I can do with it. Perhaps I will enter into some juried exhibitions, and maybe approach some galleries in the region. I will also have prints of the works that were on display in my new eCommerce shop! You can also click "Shop" in the menu bar above. And both "Retired" and "Moved on are on display and available for purchase at HorseSpirit Arts Gallery. If you are interested in the other paintings that were in the show please contact me. Thank you to those of you who bought pieces!
I am planning to create some new works, having been inspired by my recent two-week solo trip to New Mexico this past April. I'll be sharing that in a following post. I am in love with the west, and there was so much inspiration for me that I know I'll be back.
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In addition, I have also begun to sell my jewelry. I've never considered it before but a close friend kept encouraging me and so I finally decided to go for it. Again, it's in my new eCommerce shop. And if you are local, you can see some of my pieces in person at my friend Kelly's new shop "Made on Main" on Main Street Ellicott City (of course!)
Amber Cabochon
Speaking of jewelry, I have been ruminating on the idea of working that into my fine art. I am not really sure how yet, but thought I would put it out there and see what comes back to me in the form of inspiration. I just took a workshop at the Baltimore Jewelry Center with Robert Ebendorf, who happens to live in Santa Fe! More on that to come.
There are a few other things that are happening but I am not ready to share yet. They are big and exciting and scary and thrilling and I can't wait until they're more materialized so that I can tell you all about them!
So please keep in touch and find me on Instagram and Facebook.
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I wanted to update everyone about our situation in Ellicott City. My little town, where my studio is, experienced the worst flooding since hurricane Agnes in 1972. Two people lost their lives and the town in uninhabitable. Many folks lost not just businesses, but livelihoods, memories, keepsakes, and lifetimes of hard work and memories. But worst of all, two people were swept away that night. Most of the buildings will have to be condemned. The waters ripped away whole sidewalks, part of the street, cars were swept through culverts from a half mile up the road where they popped out at the other end of town. 6 inches fell within two hours. One of the reading stations on the river went from 65 CFS (cubic feet per second of water) to over 21,000 CFS!!
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This video was taken by my friend Sara Arditti who owns a gallery on Main Street, Still Life Fine Arts and Custom Framing:
https://youtu.be/wfNX6bBuIVU
For a bit of background, Ellicott City was built in a quaint and picturesque valley that some remark as reminding them of a little European town. It was founded back in the early 1700's by the Ellicott Brothers as a mill town, attracted by the Patapsco River. On a normal summer day the rivers are no bigger than creeks. Its simply in the background while folks enjoy shopping and dining, smelling honeysuckle growing over the rocks, watching live music in the courtyard or catching up with friends at the local watering hole. But when it rains, the floodplain drains into these branches which run through Main Street, under buildings and roadways, daylighting here and there, until it flows into the Patapsco. And when it pours, everyone who knows the town keeps eyes on the water. I am ever grateful for our community. We are a tight group and we look out for one another. We rally when someone is in need, we celebrate the good things, and commiserate the bad. But when things get epic, we are unstoppable.
Just the night before the flood we were carefree. My friends Josh, Brian, and Cecilia.
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Many people have asked how to help. There are a few ways. One is to check with the Ellicott City Partnership at ecpartnership.org. There you will currently find what is needed and where to donate.
Here are some more links for help and donations:
On a personal level, my studio suffered some major flooding. I first became aware of the situation because of the commUNITY facebook page where I started seeing friends' posts about the flash flood. I didnt think at first that my studio would be affected, but then I saw a post by a friend who is also a neighbor showing her front yard. The river that normally runs under her front yard WAS her front yard. I panicked thinking that my studio which is further upstream, and sits directly ABOVE the Tiber, may have sustained some damage. It did flood back in 2011 when Tropical Storm Isabelle came through but luckily I hadn't moved in yet. I drove over hand had to sneak in the back way because all of the medical and emergency personnel had the road blocked. I walked up and around behind the hill then down to my shop. I noticed the black top had shifted and buckled and my neighbor across the street's car was sitting nearly on her front porch. I said a prayer then opened my door.
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The smell of paint hit me first, then I put on my phone flashlight and my heart sank. Paintings were floating, chairs were upside down, and as I walked down and in further I saw papers were all over the place, cans, bottles, equipment; all floating in a sea of brown, muddy, smelly water. I quickly began grabbing my paintings, the ones that were for my show "Still Standing" and placed them on tables, I then walked around surveying the rest of my space, I was dumbfounded. No one predicted this!! I could do nothing more than go home and try to sleep before returning in the morning to face the most awful clean up I could imagine.
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At the same time as I was discovering my studio, I found out later that friends were trapped in apartments by rising waters and cars blocking entrances. Howard County Fire and Rescue had to evacuate residents and visitors stranded by the torrent. I realized quickly that I was one of the relatively lucky ones. Two people were swept away and perished in the Patapsco, only to be found miles down the river.
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We have been washing out and sorting through the contents of my studio to see what I have left. My insurance does not cover flood so I will have to rebuild from my own pockets. I did start a Go Fund Me page to help with repurchasing materials and covering bills while I'm out of commission.
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And to top it off, yesterday I sliced my hand open carrying a flat file out to be sprayed off. I tripped on my own feet (not an uncommon thing) and I didn't want to drop and potentially dent the drawer so it slid off my hand and onto the ground. Thank goodness for the EMT that was driving up the road in a gator, he wrapped me up and then dad took me to All Care for 8 stitches. Thank goodness it missed the tendon, but it was still pretty deep. Almost to the bone.
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I am so thankful to live in such a loving and strong town. So many friends and neighbors came by to see if I was ok. Its devastating when something like this happens but its beautiful to witness how we rally around one another.
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Here are some more photos taken by my friend Joe Pulone and Chris Winslow. Others were taken by 1304 Photography
The first responders were amazing, they came in and began helping people stuck in buildings, high in trees, and trapped in cars. Friends were rescued through second floor windows, some even having to punch through walls, others crawling out from under cars that blocked their doors. The clean up will continue for months and my hope is that people will continue to offer help and support long after the mud and debris has been cleared.
#ecstrong
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